Chapter 147 Regret Only After Losing It
Chapter 147
As soon as he said that, the room fell silent.
All that could be heard for a moment was the crackling of the embers in the charcoal brazier. Zhou Jingsong could barely hold his wine glass. "What did you say?"
Qi Donghan looked up at him and said, "Old Zhou, my time stationed in Harbin is up, and Commander Chen won't be stepping down anytime soon."
"So, I'm moving."
Only if he moves to a different location can those below him move up.
Otherwise, they will all be subject to downsizing and demobilization.
This time, not only Zhou Jingsong looked over, but also Meng Yingying and Zhao Yueru. Even Fanfan, who had been humming, noticed the seriousness between the adults.
This made Fanfan behave better during meals and stop making a fuss.
Zhou Jingsong put down his wine glass, his expression somewhat grave. "When did this happen?"
Qi Donghan: "About the next six months to a year."
Because they were on the same side, and he and Zhou Jingsong had a revolutionary friendship of more than ten years, they could talk very openly with each other.
"Actually, there were signs a year ago. The cultural troupe stopped recruiting new members, and promotions within the troupe became increasingly difficult. Funding was running out, Lao Zhou."
They all knew they were running out of funds, but no one expected it to come so soon.
"You're going to the capital?"
Qi Donghan nodded, "A garrison only has three regimental commanders. When the personnel are reduced, one or two will be retained. Whether you can be promoted then will depend on your ability."
Zhou Jingsong didn't speak; he lowered his head and drank.
Meng Yingying held Qi Donghan's hand tightly. She was actually quite afraid that Qi Donghan had left the capital's garrison because of her.
Having been away for so many years, she had already made up her mind. With only one last competition left, she would stay with Qi Donghan and not go anywhere else.
Qi Donghan shook his head at her and said gently, "Yingying, this has nothing to do with you."
“The restrictions on the stationed teams are indeed tightening. Uncle Chen is only in his fifties this year, and it will be many more years before he is able to step down.”
Instead of waiting here, it would be better to go to the capital to be stationed and gain experience. The capital city is also a good place for capable people like Qi Donghan to climb the social ladder.
The words have been made so clear; only a fool would not understand them.
She didn't speak. For the rest of the meal, Qi Donghan did most of the talking, while Zhou Jingsong listened. At the end, without saying a word, Zhou Jingsong poured Qi Donghan a glass of wine and said, "Old Qi, I won't thank you enough."
"Let's have one."
He drank it all in one gulp, Qi Donghan waved his hand, and was helped home by Meng Yingying.
Only after the couple's figures had disappeared from sight did Zhou Jingsong hug Zhao Yueru and whisper, "We owe Lao Qi a huge favor."
Qi Donghan could have kept quiet, since he was the one who benefited from it.
However, because of his relationship with Qi Donghan, and also because of the relationship between Yue Ru and Meng Yingying, Qi Donghan revealed everything.
This is giving Zhou Jingsong an opportunity to prepare in advance.
Zhao Yueru was also a smart woman. She supported Zhou Jingsong, who was covered in alcohol, and murmured, "Qi Donghan did it for your sake, but more importantly, he did it for Yingying's sake."
Because she had a good relationship with Yingying, and because she was one of the few people Yingying cared about.
That's why he wanted to make sure the couple was settled in before he left.
Only when she is doing well can Yingying go to the capital with peace of mind.
Zhou Jingsong hummed in agreement, his gentle face now showing a hint of emotion. "From now on, let's all treat Meng Yingying better."
To return a favor.
Zhao Yueru hummed in agreement.
Zhou Jingsong touched her face, his gaze tender, "Yueru, I will make sure you live a good life."
His goal all along was nothing more than this.
Zhao Yueru waved her hand dismissively, "Being with you is enough. I'm willing to live any kind of life, good or bad."
"Now that my child is all grown up, what else could I possibly want?"
These words deeply moved Zhou Jingsong, and he held Zhao Yueru in his arms for a long time, unable to utter a single word.
After Meng Yingying and Qi Donghan returned home, she helped him lie down, and it was clear that Qi Donghan was in a good mood.
He, who has never liked drinking, actually drank so much this time; he and Zhou Jingsong finished both bottles of strong liquor.
She's back, back home, and the last bit of pressure on Qi Donghan is gone.
That's why he was able to drink so freely and release the pressure he'd been under for the past five years.
Because he knew that when he was drunk, there were people behind him, not just empty-handed.
As Meng Yingying helped him lie down, Qi Donghan suddenly pulled her up, causing her to fall onto his chest. The smell of alcohol mixed with his heat hit her face, making her feel suffocated.
She tried to get up, but his iron-like arms held her tightly, giving her no chance to escape.
"Don't move." The man's voice was low and husky, as if it held a raging fire. "Let me hug you."
It was low, muffled, and carried a hint of barely perceptible coquetry.
Meng Yingying's heart softened instantly. She gripped the fabric on his shoulder with her fingers and muttered softly, "Drunkard."
"Hmm, drunkard." Qi Donghan smiled, his chest heaving, his gaze tender and gentle as he pressed his face against her chest. "The drunkard has been thinking about his wife for almost five years."
One sentence made Meng Yingying feel bittersweet.
She no longer found it offensive, but instead raised her hand to touch his face, her fingertips sliding down his brow bone to his lips.
Qi Donghan squinted and enjoyed it, then suddenly turned his head, opened his mouth and bit her finger, grinding his teeth lightly, as if in revenge or in a coquettish manner.
"hiss--"
Meng Yingying gasped in pain, her fingertips going numb, but she couldn't bear to pull her hand back.
He gently curled his tongue, then released it, and rolled over, pressing her down into the thick mattress.
The dappled moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the flickering flame in Qi Donghan's eyes.
"Yingying." He pressed his forehead against hers, looking down at her, his voice hoarse and incoherent, "Do you know what I want to do most?"
Meng Yingying's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of her chest, but she still stubbornly insisted, "Want to sober up?"
"No."
Qi Donghan lowered his head, his lips brushing against her earlobe, his warm breath spraying all the way to her ear, "If you want to consummate your marriage, then make up for the four years and ten months of marriage."
This is the real Qi Donghan; even in the capital, the two entered Meng Yingying's newly allocated apartment.
He had never been so unrestrained before.
In Qi Donghan's heart, this house was their home, the place where he could relax and let loose.
Hearing his shameless words, Meng Yingying's face flushed red. She pushed against his chest with her hand, but couldn't budge him an inch.
The man was unusually heavy, pressing down on her without giving her any chance to fight back.
Seeing her like this, Qi Donghan chuckled inwardly while grabbing both of her wrists and pinning one of them above her head.
With his other hand, he unbuttoned the hem of her coat. The button clicked, and at that moment, some constraints were instantly broken.
"Qi Donghan!"
Meng Yingying called out softly, her voice gentler than before, no longer showing the resistance she had shown.
"I am here."
The man responded, his lips tracing a path down her collarbone, pausing for a second at each point, as if stamping a document, or repeatedly confirming that Meng Yingying had finally returned.
"This is mine, and this place is mine too."
His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of something indescribable.
Meng Yingying's eyes welled up with tears from his slow and deliberate possessiveness, and her toes unconsciously hooked around his calf.
The fabric rubbed against the skin, producing a soft rustling sound.
Qi Donghan looked down at her with a hint of aggression in his eyes, and his hands moved even further, directly covering her waist. His palms were warm, but his fingertips were covered with thick calluses, and he moved upwards inch by inch.
Just like conquering a city.
Meng Yingying bit her lip, remaining silent and making no sound.
"May I?"
Qi Donghan stopped, his voice hoarse, but he stubbornly demanded an answer.
Meng Yingying looked up and saw that his eyes were red in the moonlight and the veins on his forehead were visible, showing that he was trying his best to restrain himself.
This softened Meng Yingying's heart. She reached out and cupped his face, her fingertips gently tracing the scar. Her voice was soft yet firm, "Yes, Qi Donghan."
He called her by her full name, yet it carried Meng Yingying's unique gentleness.
Qi Donghan received a reply, and his actions became even more unrestrained.
Outerwear, sweaters, shirts, one by one, lay scattered on the ground, creating a rather disorganized scene.
He leaned closer, the muscles in his upper body faintly visible in the moonlight, and there was a newly healed scar on his shoulder, a wound that appeared after she left home.
Meng Yingying lightly touched it with her fingertips, her nose tingling, and gently touched it again.
Qi Donghan's last thread snapped when touched by this gentle touch.
He supported her lower back, his palms cupping her.
Meng Yingying also gave a soft hum, wrapped her legs around his waist, and hooked her toes around his knees, like vines entwining a tree, leaving no gaps.
Even the moon outside the window seemed ashamed and hid behind the clouds.
When Meng Yingying woke up the next day, she was awakened by knocking on the door.
She felt extremely weak and sore all over when she moved. She looked down and noticed a bright plum blossom on her neck. She had to find a white turtleneck sweater to wear.
That's what blocked out the view inside.
Harbin in December was already extremely cold. Meng Yingying was wearing a Qi Donghan overcoat, which made her feel a little warmer.
"They're here, they're here."
She jogged to the door, and as soon as she opened it, she saw Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu standing there.
The two of them were probably red from standing there; one's face was red from the cold, and the other's nose was red from the cold, but neither of them left.
"Cherry, Lin Qiu."
Meng Yingying froze, then pulled them inside, saying, "Come in, come in quickly, you must be freezing."
Ye Yingtao shook her head, "We just arrived too."
Once inside, Ye Yingtao began to settle scores, "Meng Yingying, you're not being fair! You came back yesterday without telling us. If we hadn't gotten the news from Commander Fang during training this morning, we probably would still be in the dark."
Meng Yingying slapped her forehead. "I got back late yesterday, so I planned to come see you today."
"I never expected you to arrive first."
Ye Yingtao snorted.
Lin Qiu patted her hand. "Cherry didn't mean to blame you. We just missed you so much and wanted to come see you."
Meng Yingying nodded, stepped forward and hugged Ye Yingtao with one arm and Lin Qiu with the other, "I missed you both too."
Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu were unusually silent, and the three of them hugged for a while.
Lin Qiu then took the initiative to let go, "Yingying, I didn't just come to see you this time, there's something else."
Meng Yingying looked over, made a fragrant cup of malted milk powder for each of them, and brought it over. "What?"
She asked.
Lin Qiu was a little embarrassed and shy. After a while, she said, "Chen Shuisheng and I are getting married, and we plan to invite you to our wedding banquet."
Meng Yingying was shocked. She tried to recall who Chen Shuisheng was.
She then realized, "Is it the one who used to share a dorm room with Gao Chunyang?"
She remembered that Chen Shuisheng was tall and thin, and compared to Gao Chunyang, he seemed much less noticeable.
Lin Qiu nodded, and said shyly, "It's him."
“We only confirmed our relationship in the first half of the year. We had been wanting to get married for a long time, but Chen Shuisheng’s position was not high enough to apply for a family compound.”
"We confirmed the news a few days ago that he has been promoted to company commander and can now apply for a house in the family compound. We thought we would take advantage of this opportunity to hold our wedding."
Meng Yingying was somewhat surprised. She walked up to Lin Qiu and said, "You're something else, Lin Qiu. You found a promising prospect without making a sound."
Chen Shuisheng was able to rise to the rank of battalion commander at such a young age, so his future is definitely limitless.
Moreover, even if there is a downsizing, he can apply for a job transfer, which means he can advance or retreat as needed.
Lin Qiu smiled, pursing her lips, "It's because I like the look of it. I love to eat, and Chen Shuisheng is willing to use all his allowances and coupons to buy me food."
"I think that's enough."
Lin Qiu's heart has never been big.
Meng Yingying nodded, "That's really good."
Then, she turned to look at Ye Yingtao and teased, "Yingtao, did you and Xu Wenjun get married a long time ago? Are your kids old enough to run errands yet?"
She remembered that when she left, Xu Wenjun had been pursuing Ye Yingtao relentlessly.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yingtao's face instantly turned pale.
Meng Yingying sensed something was wrong, so she turned to look at Lin Qiu.
Lin Qiu sighed, "No."
"Cherry and Instructor Xu are still the same as before."
Meng Yingying's eyes widened in shock. "Five years? Almost five years! And it's still the same as before?"
She turned to Ye Yingtao for confirmation.
Ye Yingtao hummed in agreement, her tone calm, telling Meng Yingying, and also telling herself, "He doesn't have a city household registration."
They're fixated on this point.
Meng Yingying frowned and sighed, "Cherry, a person can't spend their life with inanimate objects. You can't just marry someone who's registered in the household."
"All I can say is that if you continue like this, Xu Wenjun will definitely give up in the end."
"He has given up."
It was Lin Qiu who said this.
Since they were all on the same side, Lin Qiu didn't hide anything and said directly, "Instructor Xu hasn't come to see Yingtao for half a month."
“He used to help Cherry queue up for food and grab a seat in the cafeteria, but he hasn’t done that in a long time.”
They were all adults and obviously knew why.
Five years have passed, and Xu Wenjun is exhausted and ready to give up.
Meng Yingying frowned and looked at Ye Yingtao, "What about you? What's your opinion?"
Ye Yingtao lowered her eyes and didn't speak.
Even the shrewd Ye Yingtao is now somewhat lost.
Over the years, she has clung to her condition: being a city dweller.
Therefore, she was able to ignore Xu Wenjun's attentiveness, and she got used to Xu Wenjun following her around.
She never imagined that Xu Wenjun would one day choose to give up on her.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Meng Yingying changed her question, "If Xu Wenjun turned around and went on blind dates with someone else and married someone else, would you be happy?"
Ye Yingtao's face turned deathly pale instantly. She gripped the hem of her clothes so tightly that it was almost twisted into a pretzel.
“Look, Cherry, you’ve already made your choice in your heart, but you’re unwilling to admit it. You’re going to put on airs and wait for Xu Wenjun to come to you. I can tell you very clearly that if you continue like this, there will only be one consequence: losing Xu Wenjun.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Yingtao froze for a moment, then turned and ran away.
office.
Xu Wenjun has been depressed for half a month, to the point that she is listless at work.
He looked down at the list and gazed out the window without saying a word.
Political Commissar Xiao couldn't stand it any longer. After reviewing the list of single people compiled by the organization, he strolled over to Xu Wenjun's desk and asked, "Xiao Xu, I remember you're twenty-seven this year? You're not young anymore. How about I introduce you to someone?"
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